Hat-pressing machine.



J. LAKE, JR. HAT PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 191 4.

1,126,492, Patented Jan. 26,1915.

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llllnumm Z5 wu I J'mes La/reJFr ATTORNEYS J. LAKE, JR. HAT PRESSINGMACHINE.

APPLIGATIONIILED JULY 17, 1914.-

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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WITNESSES @nnuu,

ATTORNEYS LAKE, JR.

HAT PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1914.

Jun

Patented Ja11.26, 1915.

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A TTOR/VEVS J. LAKE, JR. HAT PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1914 Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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l/VVE/V TOR James L a/re J2 WITNESSES "mitts LAKE, m, OF'YORKKYY.

ams-asse sment :To all whom itma y concern:

-Be it lmown that-I,'JA-MES Jr, -a

citizen of-the United States, and .-a resident "of the city of New-York,-borou'g'h'6f Brook lyn, in the county of 'Kingsmnd-State of NewYork, have invented a newand improved -Hat-Pres'sing -Machine, ofwhich-the following is-a full, cleargand exact-description.

Among the principal -objects which the present invention has'in'vieware"to provide means for shaping hat crowns =under pressure,-the pressurebeing'applied to the cro'wn independently of the brim; to provide 'forcontracting the crown within the desired compass anddisposingthesurplusage within the area usuall-yrcovered by the hat band, to be inservice concealed thereby; and to provide means for distributing thecompress1on area over a greater surface-of the crown.

Drawing-a-Figure '1 is aside view-of a machinecon'structed'and arrangedin accordance with-the front view thereofyFig. 3 is a'vertic'al secpresent invention; Fig. 2 is-a tion taken as on the=line 33 in Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a detail view, onan'enlarged scale and in vertical sectiontaken-on the median line, showing the press as partially closed to shapethe brim of a hat; Fig-5 is ajsimilar yiew, showing the presscompletelyclosed to shape the crown of the hat.

Description-As seen in the a'ccompanying drawings, the press is providedwith a 10 and a die plate 11. Said table and die plate are furnishedwith heating means embodyingannularchambers 12, through which steam iscirculatedby pipes 13, as in machines of conventional construction; Thetable 10 has a siibtendedcylinder 14 to operate as a guide for the crownblock 15 and to form a housing for aplunger head 16. The plate 10 andcylinder14 thereof are su ported in service by an operating table Theplunger head 16 is hollowed to form a heating chamber, steam-by means oflow said plunger,

which is supplied with pipes 18, which enter beextending upward through"the table 17. The head 16 is 'operatively' connected with a shortpitman 19 having a circular opening or hollow 20 to fit an "eccentricdisk 21. The disk 21 is fixedly mounted on a rocking shaft 22, at theouter end whereof is rigidly mounted a power lever 23. The lever 23 issuitably provided with bearingsin the lowen end of a raceway 24, as

T speinaatronorrettrs 1am. Appltction' mummy- 17, 1914. Serial No.851,562.

=ards 27, and

thereof screw threaded sections -to engage the crown block 15, plate-31on the brim block 32. The movement of said-frame is primarily imparteded by means of a link 43 with a the brim die :plate shovsv'n'best in3-of-the drawings. It is to avoidthe-raceway- 24' that I have providedthe drop-centered framingbar 25.

he frainingbar 25 isrigidly connected with 'the lower ends oflaterally-disposed plungers 26. Said plungers are extended upwardth'rough passages formed in standhave each at the upper end adjustingnuts 28, by which-the die plate 11 is set in operative position, thesame being provided with laterally-disposed bored bear-- 'ilig boxes-29.

The-construction embodying the bar-25,

plungers 26 and die plate ll constitutes a reciprocating frame, thepurpose of which is 'to-rals'e and lower theplate ll'to and from thetable 10 to introduce a die head 30 within and to overlie-a brim diethereto by th'e operation of the rocking shaft 33. The shaft 33 isoperatively connected with the framing bar25 by arms 34 and links 35.The shaft 33 has reduced ends 36 mounted in bearings formedin lugs 37The arms 34 and links-35 connected-therewith-arenormally elevated bysprings 38, for which purpose said 'armsare connected bya tie rod 39.,'as seen best in Figs. 2 and 3 of the'drawings. The arms-34 are loweredwhen the foot lever 40 is'depress'ed. The foot lever'40 is pivoted on ashaft 41, which is in a bracket 42. The foot-lever 40 is connectlug 44formed integrally *on the shaft. 33.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the operator, the lever 40,depresses the same, the shaft 33 is rocked; the free the links 35connected therewith are depressed to lower the framing bar 25 and thePatentedJan. 26,1915.

by placing his foot upon mounted in bearings ends of the arms 34 andplungers 26 connected therewith. The plate 11 having been adjusted onthe plungers '26, the movement described draws said plate and 31 down-torest firmly on the brim block 32, to-clam a brim A of a hat previouslyplaced on sai block.

To hold a brim die plate and frame connected therewith in theabove-described position during the subsequent operation of the machine,hooks 45 are employed. The hooks 45 are provided at the lower endsthereof with eccentric collars"fitting eccentrlc.disks mounted on arectangular rocking shaft 46.

e Shaft 46 is rigidly provided with tabbed disks 47, the tabs 48 whereofform stop members for lugs 49. The lugs 49 are extended from the sidesof the hooks 45, and are engaged by the tabs only when the power lever50 is thrown back to the inactive position, the object of the tabs 48and lugs 49 being 7 to disengage the hooks 45 to release the framin bar25 and frame connected therewith, a ove which framing bar the hpoks 45are thrown when the power lever .50 is drawn toward the front of themachine, in the active position thereof. The hooks 45 are each providedwith a counterweight 51, the operation of which is to rock said hooksforward until arrested by the framing bar 25, the power lever 50 andeccentric disks mounted thereon being further revolved to impart adownward pull upon said hooks 45, the bar 25 and frameconnectedtherewith including the plate 11. In this manner, there is imparted tothe brim die plate 31, power to press and set the brim 5f the hat beingformed prior to and independent of the pressure which is imparted to thecrown" of the hat.

When using a machine constructed and arranged in accordance with thepresent nvention, the pressed crown may be of any desired shape. This isregulated by the inner shape of the block 15, which may be variedindefinitely. The same is true also of the brim, the block 32 being alsovaried to accommodate the style or demand of the trade. The crown block15 is mounted to slide in the brim block 32, as shown best in Figs. 4and 5 of the drawings.

The block 32 is preferably cylindrical. The upper portion is reduced toform a thin edge 52, likewise cylindrical externally to fit a borewithwhich the brim block 32 is provided. Said bore in the block 32 isdriven to form a shoulder 53, said shoulder being located at a pointcoincident with the area covered by the sweat-band of the finished hat.The gap between the shoulder 53 and the thin edge 52 is covered by athin metal band 54 when the blocks are brought together, the upper partof said thin edge extending between the surface of the bore 1n the brimblock and said metal band 54. The insertion of the edge in the mannerreferred to occurs prior to pressure being applied to the die head 30.The thin metal band 54 is thus reinforced prior to lateral pressurebeing exerted thereon by the pressure applied to the die head 30.

After the setting pressure has been applied to the brim in the manner asabove described, and after the die head 30 has been introduced into thecrown mold in the crown block 15, pressure is applied to the crown by.lifting the block 15.. The die head 30 is of conventional constructionand adapted for molding to the shape within which it is confined. Theblock 15' is raised when the dent with the metal band 54.

In straw hats particularly, it is desired that the compression incidentto shaping and setting of the crown should be concealed or disguised.This, in the present case, is provided for by locating the lap in theabove-designated area, which, in the finished hat, is covered interiorlyby the sweat-band and exteriorly by the ribbon or hat-band with whichhats of this character are generally provided. j

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by employing crown blocks suchas 15 and brim blocks such as 32, the crown and brims may beindependently varied and used with a variety of other and correspondingblocks. Further, it will be observed that the blocks 15 being allcylindrical, irrespective of the shape or size of the crown of thefinished hat, a large variety of said blocks'may be rapidly and readilyintroduced or. placed in the machine, with considerable saving of timeover that required when employing the present methods and machines.

'Glaims:

1. A machine as characterized, comprising a stationary brim block; amovable crown block slidably mounted in said brim block and normallyspaced apart therefrom; a brim die plate for clamping upon said brimblock; a crown die head extensible within, to fill said crown block;means for forcing said die plate and said die head in clamping relationto their respective blocks and means for moving said crown block to wardsaid brim block in pressing relation to said die head.

2. A machine as characterized, comprising a stationary brim block; amovable crownblock slidably mounted in and spaced apart from said brimblock, the line of separation being adjacent the surface of said brimblock, said crown block being inter nally shaped to the form of a hatcrown; a brim die plate; an inelastic-fluid die head for insertionwithin said \crown block; means for forcing said brim .die plate on saidbrim block; and power means for moving said crown block upon said diehead and toward said brim block.

3. A machine as characterized, comprising a stationary brim block; amovable crown block slidably mounted in and spaced apart from said brimblock, the line of separation being adjacent the surface of said [brimblock, said crown block being internally shaped to the form of a hatcrown; a brim die plate; an inelastic-fluid die head for insertionwithin said crown block; means I eccentric, and a pitman pivotallyconnecting said cam andsaid plunger head.

4. A machine as characterized,'compr1sing a brim block; a crown blockhaving an interior recess shaped to form a crown die;

I a die member to independently clamp a hat brim and crown upon theirrespective blocks; and means for moving said crown block toward saidbrim block subsequentto application of full pressure thereto.

5. A machine as characterized, comprising a brim block; a crown blockhaving a recess shaped to form a substantially complete crown; diescooperating with said blocks; and means for moving said blocks intocloser relation while said blocks are both under pressure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JAMES LAKE, JR. -Witnesses:

E. F. MURnooK, G. H. EMSLIE.

